I'M EMMA ROWLAND-ELSEN and I'm a SPECIALIST CONSULTANT IN CHOIR INCLUSION AND MENTAL HEALTH
I help choir leaders, choir events, and arts organisations create singing spaces where people feel safe, seen and supported - where singers thrive not only in voice, but in wellbeing. In short, I build Mentally-Healthy Choirs.
With almost 25 years of conducting experience and a decade at the intersection of voice, mental health and community, I bring both lived experience and professional insight. As a conductor living with PTSD, I know first-hand how choir culture can shape our sense of safety, belonging and joy.
Start here: Download my free Choir Wellbeing Starter Guide to discover three small shifts that can transform the way your singers feel - and sound.
With almost 25 years of conducting experience and a decade at the intersection of voice, mental health and community, I bring both lived experience and professional insight. As a conductor living with PTSD, I know first-hand how choir culture can shape our sense of safety, belonging and joy.
Start here: Download my free Choir Wellbeing Starter Guide to discover three small shifts that can transform the way your singers feel - and sound.
learn more from the blog
If you're ever attended a choir rehearsal and felt your whole body relax before you've even sung a note, you're not imagining it. Let's take a walk through the science - in plain English - and explore what's happening when we sing together.
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If it feels like the terms "mental health" and "neurodivergence" are suddenly everywhere, then you're probably wondering things like: Why now? Why in choir? Here’s what’s driving it - and why it matters, for all of us.
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We've all heard choirs described as "safe spaces" or "mental-health friendly" but what does that really mean? And is it enough? Here's what I know so far.
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Emma's work in choirs and mental health has been featured by:
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BECAUSE YOUR CHOIR IS MORE THAN JUST SINGING
Your singers arrive with full lives - joy, stress, excitement, anxiety, big feelings, hopeful voices. A mentally-healthy choir culture gives them a place to breathe, express, and belong. With the right support, you can reduce overwhelm, increase confidence, minimise emotional fallout after performances, and create a space where every singer - from your most anxious beginner to your boldest diva - feels held and heard.
How I Can Help Your Choir Thrive
MENTAL HEALTH AND INCLUSION AUDITS
Tailored reviews to make your choir safer and more inclusive. Suitable for all choirs from leisure-time singers to professional ensembles.
Why do I need one? |
THE MENTALLY-HEALTHY CHOIR TOOLKIT
A practical, trauma-aware toolkit designed to help choir leaders create safer, more inclusive, and emotionally- intelligent singing spaces.
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PODCAST: UNMUTED
Gritty conversations on what it's really like to run mentally-healthy choirs.
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"A mentally-healthy choir isn't just a nice extra - it's the foundation for safe, sustainable, and transformative singing. When we prioritise mental wellbeing in our work, we don't just make better music, we build vibrant communities where every member feels valued, supported and empowered to sing freely."
- EMMA ROWLAND-ELSEN
Emma carries the Baton of HopeEmma was selected to be a baton bearer for the Baton of Hope 2025 tour! The Baton of Hope is the UK's biggest suicide-prevention initiative and walking with the baton symbolises being part of a movement to raise awareness and drive action around mental health and suicide prevention.
On October 2nd 2025, the Tour came to Hereford where Emma was privileged to walk with the Baton through the grounds of the historic Hereford Cathedral. While she walked, her Sing out Strong choirs performed. Click through the slideshow to see all the photos. |
ABOUT EMMA
Recognised as one of the UK’s foremost specialists in choral inclusion and mental health, Emma Rowland-Elsen is a veteran choral conductor, sound–voice therapist and consultant whose work is shaping best practice across the sector. Drawing on her lived experience of PTSD and more than ten years of expertise in trauma-informed leadership and vocal health, she advises leading national choirs, major arts bodies and education programmes on developing emotionally intelligent, accessible and mentally healthy environments. Emma also works as the Editor for Mental Health and Inclusion at CHORALLY.
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